The young people who learn martial arts at a studio north of Detroit are not considered students.

Their instructors use a different word.

Heroes.

That's because the techniques these children learn will be used not to take on an opponent from a rival studio. Instead, they will be used against the deadly diseases that ravage their young bodies and threaten their lives.

Called Kids Kicking Cancer, the Southfield, Michigan-based program helps sick kids learn to use martial arts-style breathing and relaxation techniques. It helps them to manage stress, anxiety and pain stemming from their illnesses and medical treatments.

It was founded by Elimelech Goldberg. He is a rabbi. He also is a first-degree black belt in the art of Choi Kwang Do. Known to the children as "Rabbi G," Goldberg said he was motivated to start Kids Kicking Cancer by the memory of his daughter, Sara. She was diagnosed with leukemia just before her 1st birthday and succumbed to the disease a little more than a year later.

"My daughter, at 2 years old, contributed so much to this planet, because she brought in this light. And now that's the light that I'm privileged to help spread to the rest of the world," Goldberg said before he led a class of 16 preteens and teenagers. Each suffers from cancer, sickle cell anemia and other ailments.

One child in the class of "little heroes," as Goldberg calls them, is Jayson Harris. He is a 9-year-old from Detroit whose cancer is in remission.

"Being in class is like a second family to me," Jayson said shortly before taking his spot on the mat and driving his fist into a striking pad held by instructor Michael Hunt.

The training also is designed to teach the kids to take control of their situations. Or as Goldberg says, to teach them to be victors instead of victims.

Hunt, 27, was the latter when he joined Goldberg's first class in 1999. He had already undergone a year of chemotherapy to treat a cancer of the muscles known as rhabdomyosarcoma. He also had four ribs and a tumor removed from his side. Hunt later had two steel rods surgically implanted on either side of his spine.

Being a part of Kids Kicking Cancer allowed him to cut down on the medications he had been taking to manage the pain. As a trainer, he is an ever-present reminder to enrollees that the program can help.

"I'll tell them my story, and they're like, 'Oh, OK. Now, I know I can do it,'" Hunt said.

Critical thinking challenge: Which experiences made Michael Hunt both a victim and victor?

I think that it is good that Elimelech Goldberg developed a program that will help kids to fight cancer and be more relaxed and strong. He helped many students and succeeded in helping them to fight cancer. Michael Hunt was bot a victim and a victor. He was a victim because he too was also diagnosed with some type of illness and had to go through a lot of hardships. He joined Goldberg's program and managed to control his situation. He teaches students and has become a trainer in Goldberg's program. I think that it is sad that Goldberg's daughter died at a young age but it became an inspiration for Goldberg to help other kids who have an illness.